PAKISTAN OBSERVER
30th September 1957
EAST PAKISTAN ASSEMBLY
PROCEEDINGS
The following are excerpts from the East Pakistan Assembly proceedings of September 28, 1957. Mr. Qasem was heard saying that when the teeming millions in this province were suffering from dire economic distress, it would be quite improper for the House to pass a bill of such nature which would increase the salaries of the members. After several attempts of voicing his protest against the bill, Mr. Nasiruddin Ahmed became disappointed and staged a walk-out as a mark of protest. The Central Minister Mr. Abdul Khaleque afterwards went to the Deputy Speaker and tried to persuade him to postpone discussion of the bill. Before the recess for Asr prayer, complete pandemonium prevailed in the House When the House resumed discussion clause by clause of the Bill after 5-15 p.m. the Central Minister Mr. Khaleque again got up to oppose the Bill.
The Finance Minister Mr. Manaranjan Ďhar and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also stood up to speak against passage of the Bill. But they were again shouted down by the members belonging to both sides. When Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (A.L) requested the members of the Treasury Bench not to oppose him, Mr. Abdul Hamid Chudhury (A.L) replied “why the matter was not settled in the party meeting?”
Mr. Nuruddin (A.L) who was also sitting behind Sheikh Mujibur Rahman refused the request of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said that bill be passed. At one stage, the Chief Minister, Mr. Ataur Rahman khan got up and told the deputy speaker that unless order was restored it would not be possible to follow the proceedings of the house. He said that he had also an amendment to the bill. The chief minister could not proceed further because of frequent interruption and thumping of tables. The chief minister then left the house. The deputy speaker tried his utmost to restore order in the house but failed. The bill was, however, passed with three official amendments amidst continued confusion.
After about 18 minutes of sitting, the house was again adjourned for 40 minutes. When the house reassembled after the short adjournment the finance minister, Mr. Manoranjan Dhar and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rose to address the deputy speaker when a large number of members both from opposition and government benches also got up and started speaking at the same time.
Protest to speaker
Mr. Dhar and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman appeared to be protesting to the speaker against the manner in which the proceeding were being conducted and although they could not be heard, it could be made out with difficulty that they were complaining that they could neither hear anything nor speak what they wanted. They were then seen to be conferring with Mr. D.N. Dutta, Health Minister and Mr. Mansoor Ali, Food Minister and the Secretary of the Assembly standing while a constant noise was kept up by a large number of members on either side. The Deputy Speaker was heard to say that the ‘ayes have it’ which presumably was the third reading of the bill coming to a close which was again followed by noisy sense and the House was adjourned for evening prayers. After prayers Mr. Mahmud Ali (NAP) got up to say that during consideration of the Members Salaries Bill some members in the Opposition claimed a division which was not allowed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (A.L) loudly denied Mr. Mahmud Ali’s contention and said that nobody from the National Awami Party had opposed the Bill. As a matter of fact no member had opposed the Bill, he said and added that the Chief Minister, the Finance Minister and himself had tried to raise some points but could not do so.
SHEIKH MUJIB REFUTED
Mr. Mohiuddin of the National Awami Party strongly refuted that the Chief Minister Rahman and said that the Chief Minister himself had opposed the bill and National Awami Party had demanded a division on the bill which was not allowed. “I myself had called for a division,” he declared loudly. He was supported by Mr. Ashabuddin, also of the NAP who said that he had also called for a division. The Deputy Speaker said that nobody had demanded division. Again Mr Mohiuddin and Ashabuddin declared that they had demanded division. This was followed by loud noise and shouts from both sides of the House. Mr. Masihur Rahman, L.S.G. Minister and Mr. Fazlul Qader Chowdhry (M.L) were both seen on their legs at the same time. Mr. Fazlul Qader said that some persons from the opposition had demanded a division during the third reading of the Members salaries Bill.
There were loud protests from government benches. Mr. Fazlul Qader said that the bill should not have come before the House without the consent of the Chief Minister.
The Deputy Speaker declared that nobody had wanted a division. Seven members from NAP again shouted that they had demanded a division.-APP.